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India

• Tightened Anti-Conversion Legislation Passed in Indian State

  As Christians in India face increasing pressure from militant Hindu organizations who often use anti-conversion laws as leverage to accuse Christians, the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh has passed new legislation that further tightens their existing anti-conversion legislation. Under the amended legislation, a person wishing to change religion must inform the district magistrate. The priest or organization performing the "conversion rituals" is required to inform the authorities a month in advance and police will verify the credentials of the officiants and ensure that the conversion is being done without force or allurement. Punishments include fines and imprisonments for those failing to follow the proper procedures.

  The bill passed the Madhya Pradesh Assembly on July 25 with the majority BJP party refusing to allow discussion on the bill. Opposition members are calling on Governor Balram Jakhar to return the bill without approving it. Government opposition members and Christian leaders see this legislation as a tool that will be used by militant Hindus to further suppress the Christian minority. "Requiring government approval to change one's religion is a gross violation of religious liberty," says Glenn Penner, spokesman for VOMC. "To ask Christians to abide by this law is to ask them to acknowledge that the government has authority that only belongs to God. We render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's but Christians cannot grant unto Caesar that which is God's."

  Pray that believers in Madhya Pradesh will echo Peter's sentiment and determine to obey God regardless of what man says (Acts 5:29).  Pray that believers will always be prepared to tell others about the hope they have in Christ (1 Peter 3:15). Ask God to work in the hearts of those in leadership to recognize the religious freedom of all Indians. Pray that Governor Balram Jakhar will not approve the bill. Pray for special protection for those who oppose this bill.

  For more information on the persecution facing Christians in India,click here.

• Pastor and Family Traumatized in Church Attack

  Marthoma Church Logo

  The Shivanapura Marthoma Mission station includes a small congregation in the village of Shivanapura, forty-five kilometres from Bangalore. At around midnight on July 15, the mission station was attacked by a group believed to be Hindu militants who are opposed to its work. Rev. Alexander Tharakan was locked in the living quarters of the church along with his wife, his two-year-old child and his seventy-year-old mother. The mob then proceeded to cause extensive damage to the property. According to VOMC sources in India, Alexander and his young child were "terribly traumatized" because of the attack.

  Pray that this family will rest in the knowledge that the Good Shepherd walks with them through this difficult time (Psalm 23). Ask God to give the adults the strength to leave justice in the hands of the Heavenly Father (Rom. 12:17-21). Pray that they will be able to rebuild their facilities without any further opposition from those around them.

  For more information on the suffering experienced by Christians in India,click here. A video report on the increasing violence against Christians in India is also available at https://www.vomcanada.com/.

• Catholic Nuns Arrested for Proselytism

  Photo from Missionaries of Charity

  On June 25, four members of the Missionaries of Charity in India -- best known as the organization formerly led by Mother Teresa -- were visiting AIDS patients in a hospital in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh when they were accosted by Hindu militants. As many as fifty members of Dharma Parirakshana Samithi accused the nuns of trying to convert the patients to Christianity.  According to Asia News, Sister Maria Julia, Sister Chriselda, Sister Emma Felesia and Sister Reena Francis, were detained while their bags were searched for literature. Some militants in the crowd threatened to remove their distinctive blue and white saris and replace them with saffron-coloured clothes, a symbol of Hinduism. Some hospital managers, who were accompanied by militant BJP members, coerced the patients into accusing the nuns of attempting to convert them. Based on these testimonies, the four were taken to the local police station where they were charged. These charges were later dropped after intervention from the Archbishop of Hyderabad. An inquiry into the incident has been started.

  Pray that there will be no further incidents involving the Missionaries of Charity. Pray that Christians in the area will be free to tell others of Christ. Pray that, even when there is limited freedom, they will continue to be faithful to give testimony to Him in their lives (Acts 4:19). Pray that those opposed to the gospel will be ineffective in their efforts to silence God's people.

  For more information on the persecution of Christians in India,click here.

• Church Attacks in India

  Several attacks on Christians in India in recent days highlight the serious persecution facing Christians in this predominantly Hindu nation. A video news report from India is available on VOMC's multimedia website, www.vomcanada.com. Anti-conversion legislation in several states serves to encourage militants to attack Christians, accusing them of proselytism. The following are three examples reported in the past week.

  On June 30, the Disciples Church in Harda, Madhya Pradesh suffered fire damage after militants set fire to a table containing 150 Bibles and hymn books. The pastor of the church, Jaidi Khan, was able to escape without injury but was unable to stop the razing of the church that followed. Witnesses report that the attackers were members of the Hindu organization Dharam Sena (Religious Army). Authorities have been unwilling to take action. Despite various eye-witness reports, the local superintendent of police, K.D. Peshara told the Indo-Asian News Service that the attack was from members of a rival group of Christians. Peshara also claimed that this rival group burned the guard's motorbike rather than the church building.

  On June 25, militant members of Dharam Sena, disrupted a weekly prayer meeting of Christians, in the village of Bothli west of the Chhattisgarh capital of Raipur. The crowd surrounded the house and shouted anti-Christian slogans before they burst into the building and beat those gathered for prayer. A woman who was eight-months pregnant had to be rushed to the hospital in terrible pain after being punched and kicked. Police have allegedly refused to intervene in the situation.

  On July 2, approximately twenty rioters raided a worship service conducted by Pastor Bagh Masih in western India. According to the Global Council of Indian Christians, the church was then ransacked and the pastor and other worshippers were beaten. One man, Mr. Bakshish was hospitalized but later that evening he was removed from the hospital when a mob threatened to kill him if he didn't leave. Police officers commissioned to protect the church were present throughout the attack but did nothing. Authorities later refused to file a report about the incident.

  Pray that the Disciples Church will be able to rebuild the church building without facing any further attacks. Pray that those who have been beaten in these attacks will recover quickly as they rely on the Lord to give them a heart of thankfulness (II Corinthians 1:9-11). Pray that the incomprehensible peace of Christ will rule their hearts and minds in the face of ongoing threats and danger (Philippians 4:7). Pray also that the Lord would make them strong to lovingly and boldly proclaim the gospel, even to their enemies (Ephesians 6:18-20, Matthew 5:44-48).

  For more information on the persecution facing Christians in India,click here.

• EMI Licenses Temporarily Restored

  EMI Founder M. A. Thomas and president Dr. Samuel Thomas

  Since troubles began for the Emmanuel Mission International in the Kota district of the Indian state of Rajasthan in February, their bank accounts have been frozen and their licenses to operate five institutions were also revoked. Recently, the government has also attempted to take over running the organizations. However, a ruling from the Rajasthan High Court on June 28 has temporarily restored the licenses along with access to the bank accounts. Judges were set to review the decision at a judicial hearing on July 4. No news is yet available on decisions made. The Kota Registrar of Societies was been ordered to show cause for revoking the licenses at the hearing. Pray that the licenses will be permanently restored and that EMI will be able to continue their ministry throughout India.
• Militants Attempt to Burn Pastor to Death in Church Assault

  As many as twenty Indian militants interrupted the worship service at the Hossana Church in Kosa Nala, Chhattisgarh on June 18, according to a June 22 report from Compass Direct. The intruders grabbed the Bible of Pastor David Raj as he was preaching and began beating him. The mob also assaulted Raj's wife and some of the church members. The attackers then placed a rubber tire around Raj's neck and attempted to burn him to death. When they were unsuccessful in lighting the tire, they beat him some more and then turned him over to the police.

  Raj and his wife have both been arrested on charges of deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings and promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion. They were also charged with attempted forced conversion.

  According to local sources, the charges arise from statements signed by two of the women in the church. The women thought they were signing statements that they had been in the church that morning. Instead, the statements claim the two were offered cash and a motorcycle if they would convert to Christianity. Such allegations against an extremely poor pastor and his wife are considered preposterous.

  Three of the assailants were arrested for their part in the attack but were immediately granted bail.

  Pray that all charges against Pastor Raj and his wife will be dropped. Pray that they will be protected from every plan to harm them and that God will bring about justice in this situation (Psalm 140). Pray that they will confidently entrust themselves to Christ so that they may preach the gospel without hesitation (2 Timothy 1:7-12). Pray that the attackers will see that the message Pastor Raj proclaims is one of a free gift, not coercion, and respond in faith to Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9).

  For more information on the persecution of Christians in India,click here. To see the latest video report on the persecution in India, go to https://www.vomcanada.com/. The June edition of The Voice of the Martyrs Newsletter focuses on India. The feature article is available online to those who subscribe to this free monthly publication. Go to our newsletter page (Sorry, Canadian mailing addresses only).

• Pastor Beaten While Police Watch

  An independent pastor in the district of Devangere in the Indian state of Karnataka was severely beaten by militant Hindus on June 11, according to a June 15 report from Compass Direct. Pastor Sundar Rao was holding a prayer meeting in his sister's home when as many as 150 people surrounded the house. As he attempted to leave the meeting, Rao was dragged to the local police station where he was forced to sign a blank paper. They also told Rao that the land he had purchased for a church building would be used for a Hindu temple instead.

  While at the police station, some of the militants beat the pastor as police merely looked on and said nothing. Around midnight, the police apparently asked Rao to leave the station. He refused, knowing the mob was waiting outside for him. At 3:30 the following afternoon, the police released him without offering any protection. The crowd outside the station severely beat him. Even after he managed to get on a bus, the crowd stopped the bus and resumed their abuse. Rao was hospitalized with internal injuries and multiple contusions.

  When Rao's wife went to the police station the next day, June 13, the police refused to accept a formal complaint. Having no other alternative, she traveled to the police district headquarters in Devangere where she was able to file her complaint. At last report, there have been no arrests.

  Ask God to bring about justice in this case. Pray that the perpetrators of this crime will be arrested. Pray that the Lord will give Pastor Rao a speedy recovery.

  For more information on India and the persecution facing Christians there,click here. The June edition of The Voice of the Martyrs Newsletter features the persecution of Christians in India. The feature article is available online to those who subscribe. Go to our newsletter page to subscribe.

• Rape Victims Accused of Forcible Conversion

  On May 28, two Christian women were gang raped after the husband of one of them refused to deny Christ (click here for more details). Last week, the Persecution and Prayer Alert reported that all Christians in the region were being ordered to renounce their faith or leave (to read more, click here). According to a June 20 report from Compass Direct, a complaint has now been filed against the women alleging that they were involved in forcible conversion of Hindus. An observer from the National Commission for Minorities investigating the incident believes that the administration allowed the forcible conversion complaint to be filed in order to protect the alleged rapists. Though the women have named their attackers, no arrests have been made.

• Government to Take Over EMI Institutions

  Founder M. A. Thomas and president Dr. Samuel Thomas

  On June 14, the Rajasthan state government announced plans to take control of five institutions operated by the Emmanuel Mission International (EMI). Licenses to operate the facilities were suspended earlier following protests against the Christian organization. An appeal of those suspensions was dismissed by the state's High Court on June 13. EMI has been meeting the physical and educational needs more than 10,000 children through a variety of orphanages and schools. Problems for EMI began in February, after a book was found on a book rack which allegedly ridiculed Hindu gods (click here to read more).
• More Details on Pastor's Murder

  More details have come to light about the murder of Pastor Prem Kumar on June 8 (click here for the story). According to VOMC sources in India, four men with blood stains on their clothing came to a hotel in Rampur following the murder. When the owner of the hotel noticed the stains, he closed the hotel. Police are looking for the four men as well as the hotel owner.

  It also appears the murder may be linked to Kumar's daughter-in-law, who is a converted Christian from a family with ties to the Hindu nationalist organization Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Local landlords and villagers were reportedly annoyed that she had been sharing her faith with her family and leading some to faith in Christ.